And Second Thoughts

1. Politics where they should not belong.

2. Beating a subject to death.

I started writing this editorial on my birthday (Sunday, July 22) Then I realized the next day that I was being unduly harsh and painting the Board of Education with a broad brush. As most people are aware of there have been a lot of friction between the Superintendent and certain Board Members. Not only that, there have been tensions amongst the Board Members themselves. This has been going on for much too long and a solution appears to be nowhere in sight.

I remember a while back when a Board of Education member said to me how tight a unit they are. “We are going to be watch dogs over how money is spent. What happened in the past with other Boards (referring to the $2 million insurance fraud) will not be repeated.”

With this in mind I am going to give this present Board credit for questioning agenda items that they feel deal with new programs and projects and how they may affect the students.

But unfortunately there has too much politicking going on the side of some Board members (not all of them) and the Superintendent. In essence those involved in this nonsense are losing focus on what really matters. The Board is very divided. Everybody has their own little click. It’s Team A vs. Team B and everybody knows whose team they are rooting for. And no, it’s not about the children! I challenge any Board Members to respond to this editorial.

I am not saying that this Board does not have the best interest of the students at heart. This Board has to understand that is not unique. There have been other Board members in the past that have been just as passionate about students and still continue to do so.

Yes, I know that past Board members have been very political, too and some have been forced to resign with their tails between their legs. But that is a whole different story and I don’t have time to rehash that right now. I’m dealing with what’s going on now. I would love to be invisible and see what goes on during these long closed sessions.

Sometimes after the Board comes back from some of these closed sessions they seem more confused on some of the agenda items that they have to vote on than before the session. And did they not talk about these items while they were in closed session? I am talking about the meetings that I have attended personally. You may have noticed that I have not attended the last few meetings because unfortunately some of them have taken place at exactly the same time as the Perth Amboy City Council Meetings.

The reporter that I have covering the Board of Education Meetings will text me during the proceedings to give me updates. I am sometimes shocked as to what he tells me is going on between some of the Board members themselves or with their interactions with Superintendent. I am not trying to make light of the situation but some of the behavior is shameful and not becoming from either parties.

Maybe those involved in this nonsense should just sue each other in civil court. The last resort is to go on the People’s Court, Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown or any other TV court program and let one of those judges make the final decision. This nonsense needs to stop now and get on to the business what is best for the students.

Again, I apologize to those Board Members who are not involved in this situation.

I may be completely off base but I must make mention of one particular person who is always at the Board Meetings. In my heart I feel she really hurting with this friction that is ongoing during the Board of Education Meetings. I am not mentioning her by name but when I look at her I see a look of sadness as if she is saying to herself, “I can’t believe its come to this. It should only be about the children and it’s not.”

As an aside, Nixle in my opinion, should not be used to put out stats on disciplinary and suspensions of student’s. This information is already reported at the Board of Education Meetings and on the Board of Education website.

C.M.